Women weren't the only ones to fudge their ages. If I recall correctly, Jack Benny never passed his 39th birthday. We may be getting a tad bit off topic.
Bill On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 11:33 AM, Paula Ryburn <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks, Connie, for all this detail. I run into this "calculating the best > date based on multiple somewhat conflicting sources" issue a lot and > appreciate your insights. > > To the OP: Sometimes the age on census is a year different just because of > the date the census was taken, at least I've found that to be the case with > some of my ancestors. > > --Paula in Texas > Researching: Adair Baker Beasley Benson Betz Bigley Blagrave Burton Chapman > Clement Clough Coppernoll Costine Daulton Dinwiddie Doody Ellis Exline Field > Floran Floyd Gates Goodale Gordon Gump Hale Harbaugh Hind Hopkins Hughes > Hurdle Jones Klein Koyle Laswell McDonald Misner Passwaters Pelton Roberts > Roche Ryburn Short Singer Sullivan Weller Williams > > ________________________________ > From: Connie Sheets <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Wed, August 17, 2011 4:14:50 PM > Subject: Re: [LegacyUG] "Facts" > > It is perfectly acceptable to use the "best" source for a fact. For example, > if I have an original marriage record, I cite that for the date and location > of a marriage, rather than a book of compiled marriage records. Or, if I've > been to a cemetery and saw a tombstone with my own eyes, I cite that for the > date of death and place of burial, rather than a book of cemetery > inscriptions or FindAGrave. I cite the derivative sources (sometimes called > secondary sources) only until I've found the original source (sometimes > called primary source). > > The example you gave is a bit more complicated, however, because it involves > conflicting evidence, not just original vs. derivative sources. For a date > of arrival/immigration event, I would cite the steamship arrival records > (assuming they are originals, or images of originals) and related immigration > records, not the census. However, I would still have a census or residence > event, and I would cite the census for that. In my transcription of the > census, I would transcribe it exactly, and probably make a separate note or > source detail comment that I know the date of immigration in the census > record is wrong because of the passenger list. This assumes that you're > certain there wasn't a second person of the same name who arrived on a > different date. > > I am of the firm belief that no genealogy program is the only tool one can or > should use in genealogy. For more complicated situations, I write a separate > detailed research report, proof summary, or proof argument in a word > processing program, with tables, charts, and proper source citations. Then, > I cite that document in my database, with a brief summary and link to the > document. For example, I have this summary in Legacy: > > "John Doe could have been born as early as Jun 1807 or as late as 1 Jun 1815. > Based upon currently available data, however, the most likely range for his > birth is about 1811 to 1812. This seems to be the most frequently calculated > date, and is consistent with the ages recorded in the earliest available > documents. > > Only one record, the 1900 census, explicitly states a birth year (1809), but > given his advanced age, his illiteracy, and the fact that he was an "inmate" > of the county poor farm, it is probably not as credible as the ages recorded > in earlier census records." > > I entered his birth as Abt 1811-1812, and my source citation for his birth > date reads: > > "Solomon Morgan Age Data," report prepared by Connie Sheets, (address), 10 > Feb 2011; compiled from ages stated in obituary, state, and federal census > records. > > Because the obituary, state, and federal census records are entered, > transcribed and cited in Legacy as separate events, and because my Word > document also contains detailed source citations, I don't see the need to > cite them again for his birth date. > > Others will choose differently, but this is what works for me. > > Connie > > > > Legacy User Group guidelines: > http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp > Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp > Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on > our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). > To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). 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